The blood orange, a versatile, antioxidant-rich and comparatively rare citrus variety beloved by chefs, attracts a price premium – and has potential as a nutraceutical. But can specialising in blood oranges pay off? Yes, says Vito Mancini, Director of Redbelly Citrus, Australia’s largest blood orange producer, talking recently with NSW Farmers’ The Farmer about the opportunities in this niche citrus variety and why the Griffith-based business is thriving.
Native to Italy but well suited to the desert-like climate of south-western New South Wales, the blood orange variety gets its name because under the right growing conditions (hot days and chilly nights in autumn, the growing season), it develops anthocyanin-rich ruby-red-streaked flesh. A favourite with chefs thanks to its versatile, sweet-tart flavour and dramatic appearance, the blood orange attracts a price premium, domestically and through counter-seasonal trade into Northern Hemisphere markets. High in antioxidants and providing nutrients other citrus varieties lack, the variety also has potential as a nutraceutical.
Read the full story in The Farmer.
Source: Blood oranges, sweat and toil I The Farmer (NSW Farmers), July 2021